EXCELLENCE Resort Punta Cana - New thread started April 2010

@Diva, try this website instead. That was the address in the menu bar when I did it, I don't know why when you click it directly it doesn't take you to the right place. Anyway, try this with the same calculations:

Hi ladies, been busy checking flights and everything. Where have you found that best flight deals? I tried with a couple travel agents and their prices weren't even as good as Orbitz, which was discouraging. My FI and I are booked, my parents, his parents, and his aunt/uncle. I was hoping to have a point of contact for potential guests to book easily and cheaply.

Also, I was wondering if anyone knows about the Silver Dinner that is included in the Excellence of Love Wedding package. Is that a private reception, or just dinner in a semi-private area of a restaurant? If we wanted the beach or the cascade pool, does that incur an extra charge? Also, if we wanted to set up an iPod as our DJ, do they charge extra for a sound system? And how would that work if we were in one of the restaurants? Now that are officially booked, I decided it was time to get down to brass tacks

@mdb, I'm confused though because from what my WC Griselda is saying, the Judge will show up when the Judge shows up, and that's when we will do the "official" paperwork. She said he may come the day before (although I doubt it, being Easter and all) the same day as our ceremony, or the day after. So, I'm not sure why it matters who performs the ceremony since the legalities reside with the Judge, who won't even be there for the ceremony. Who performed your ceremony and when did the Judge sign the papers? I read elsewhere that it's better that the Judge doesn't perform the actual ceremony because then it would be in Spanish, translated by the WC, and we wouldn't be able to do any personal touches. Is there something that Pastor York does that makes it more official/legal? Thanks!

@meridethota, her name is Griselda. She's been pretty good at getting back to me quickly, although the confusion of Holy Week and whether the DR celebrated Easter Monday threw us for a bit of a loop (considering we'd already booked our flights, hotel, etc)

I believe it was the judge who married us. She had us sign paperwork right after the ceremony . It was in spanish and was translated to english by the WC. We didn't personalize anything. If we didn't need to translate, it may have only been about 4 minutes : ) lol. We only had parents and sibling attend so we weren't too concerned about a big elaborate ceremony.

I didn't use pastor York but from what I understand, if he performs the ceremony, then the judge would need to come to have you sign the papers to make it legal. And I also heard it was in English. I hope this helps : )

fmichelle - How many people are coming to your wedding? We invited 50 (invites just went out last week!) and are using a travel agent through destinationweddings.com. For us it was just easier to do it this way rather than get frustrated by doing it ourselves. Our guest have the option of getting flight info from her. Otherwise, they can find their own flights and just book the room through her so that we can all be in the same area at the resort.

Our TA found our flights - $470/person when we booked back in July. My FI's grandparents booked via orbitz a few weeks ago and their came out to about $600/person. Regardless of how your guests book make sure they do it sooner rather than later.

From my understanding, the silver and gold dinner options can be served in a location of your choice. There's the cascade pool, garden or the beach where it could be private - all the locations are included in the packages. I'd asked about being able to have an indoor reception and was told it depending on "availability". I've seen pictures on the other forum from wedding receptions that were inside the resturant that isn't open for dinner. They were able to set up a DJ/iPod and had the whole place to themselves - that's what I'm shooting for.

I know they can have small wedding parties in the resturants b/c we saw it while we were there. I don't know if those people were able to have the silver menu served in there though and they didn't have any special music.

As far as speakers, they charge you. I have a "list of extras" which includes prices which I'd be happy to send you.

Originally Posted by fmichelle

Hi ladies, been busy checking flights and everything. Where have you found that best flight deals? I tried with a couple travel agents and their prices weren't even as good as Orbitz, which was discouraging. My FI and I are booked, my parents, his parents, and his aunt/uncle. I was hoping to have a point of contact for potential guests to book easily and cheaply.

Also, I was wondering if anyone knows about the Silver Dinner that is included in the Excellence of Love Wedding package. Is that a private reception, or just dinner in a semi-private area of a restaurant? If we wanted the beach or the cascade pool, does that incur an extra charge? Also, if we wanted to set up an iPod as our DJ, do they charge extra for a sound system? And how would that work if we were in one of the restaurants? Now that are officially booked, I decided it was time to get down to brass tacks

meridithota-thanks for the info. We've invited around 40, we're hoping for around 20, so far only immediate family is booked. I emailed one of the travel agents through this site and contacted two others and their prices around always a couple hundred more than going through Orbitz directly for flight and hotel. I'll check out the site you recommended. Either way, I figure once enough have booked, I'll contact my WC and hopefully she can make sure the rooms are kind of close together. We're going to be in the Excellence Club though because price wise it made sense to get the discounted Excellence of Love wedding package. I've found that flight prices alone are fluctuating a lot, but the package deals are staying pretty similar. I recently sent an email out to all potential guests letting them know that hotel prices are going to go up the end of next month and package deals seem as good as they're going to get right now and suggested they book.

Griselda actually just sent me the extras price list, menu options for the cocktail hour and dinner, and explained just what you wrote, but thank you so much. Sometimes I hear from her right away, and sometimes it takes a bit. But I'm being patient, already trying to get in the mindset of "island time." I've heard the mosquitoes are pretty bad at night by the cascade pool, so we may end up doing an indoor reception (based on availability, I guess...) I'm looking forward to checking it all out when we get there. Do you know if we get to sample any of the food from the menus at our meeting when we arrive? My FI really wants to make sure we provide our guests with tasty options.

fmichelle - Hi! I have been to Excellence 4 times and last time we had a room right beside the cascade pool, swim up room, the moskies are bad as soon as dusk sets in, it's lush.

There's hardly any breeze around there, so your best bet would be indoors or on the beach, where at least there is breeze and tiki torches.

Just make sure all your guests keep their shoes on in the sand, there's chiggers that lurk in the sand that bite, I have seen a lot of people get bitten at night on their ankles.

I love the look of the Agave/Chez Isabelle by the fountain at night, that's where I am going to have my reception and have the carribean trio play, my wedding is going to be super small less than 10 so that's perfect for me.